By Herbert Norton

Looking for a way to reduce your energy costs? If you consult your local energy company, you will likely receive a brochure explaining how to wrap your pipes, put a blanket around your hot water heater, plugging cracks and holes through which drafts can flow, and adding reflective coatings to your windows. No harm in any of that, and it’s a good start. But for homeowners, there is a better place to start – start at the top, with your roof.

Why start with the roof? For the same reason that your mother tells you to wear a hat outside in snowy weather – just as most of your body heat is lost through your head, most of your home’s heat is lost through the roof. Heat rises.

Likewise, your roof is the part of your home that is most exposed to the sun, so the question of whether your home will absorb the sun’s heat or reflect it back into the atmosphere is decided right there – on the roof.

Homeowners don’t like to mess with their roofs, and for good reason – roof work can be expensive. But there are a range of options, and if you are considering an ecofriendly option such as installing solar panels, you may qualify for state or federal tax subsidies that will help to defray the cost. (To find out what subsidies exist in your area, check the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, DSIRE, or try this calculator).

If you are considering making your roof a part of your home’s energy efficiency plan, you will need to begin by answering the following questions:

1. What material do you want to use for your roof?
2. What color should your roof be?
3. Do you want to add solar panels or solar shingles to your roof in order to capture solar energy for electricity or to provide heat for water?

Materials

These days, homeowners have many roofing materials to choose from. Most Americans (about 75 percent) go for cheap asphalt shingles – but cheap is the best that can be said of asphalt as a roofing material. It doesn’t insulate well, it is generally not recyclable at the end of its life, and its life is not long.

On the other end of the economic spectrum, affluent homeowners will often choose wood shingles, such as cedar shakes, or slate. These options are all natural, insulate well, and are expensive. But cedar often comes from old-growth forests and slate is a non-renewable resource. Moreover, wood shingles will swell and shrink over time, producing cracks and resulting in moisture damage. Clay tiles are more durable and are made from a renewable, sustainable material, but they are so expensive that most homeowners can only manage to use them as accent materials along the edges of roofs.

Somewhere in the middle, you have metal roofs. Metal roofs insulate well, they have high solar reflectance (meaning they stay cooler in the summer), they last a long time, and they are frequently made from recycled metals (and can be recycled themselves at the end of their lives). But they can be somewhat expensive.

Nowadays, there is another option: recycled roofing materials. Believe it or not, you can now make your roof from recycled plastic, carpet, or tires. You can also opt for reclaimed or sustainably grown wood.

Make Your Electric Meter Spin Backward

If you want to generate electric power on your roof, or at least collect enough heat to warm up water, you may want to start with a basic metal roof. A standing-seam metal roof can work well as a base for thin-film photovoltaic panels. You’ll be following in reputable footsteps – President Barack Obama is adding solar panels to the White House roof this year, as is Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Solar panels can be expensive – most solar panel systems cost at least $2,000 to $3,000 to install, and many cost more, depending on the system and the particular circumstances at your home. Solar panel systems pay for themselves within a few years, but that doesn’t help when you are trying to scrape together the money for the installation.

There is also another solar roofing option – solar shingles. Solar shingles may be an ideal solution if by chance you have a roof that is already shingled, but is losing shingles in (preferably) a south-facing location where you can free up 300 to 400 feet of roof space. If you need to replace shingles anyway, you may as well replace the old shingles with matching solar shingles (they are designed to blend in with the asphalt shingles that most American homes use). Like solar panels, solar shingles can be connected to your local energy grid, so that if you produce excess electricity, it can go back into the system and your electric company can reimburse you for it. By absorbing heat from the sun, solar shingles can also reduce the amount of heat that your home absorbs, so you may find that you do not need to run an air conditioner as much in the summer. Don’t expect to go entirely off-grid with solar shingles – shingles do not store solar energy (unless you have also added batteries to hold stored energy, but adding batteries can add as much as $10,000 to your shingle installation costs), so you will need your regular electric grid at night. Homeowners who choose this option find that the solar shingles pay for themselves in about 8 to 10 years, while they last for 20-40 years (depending on climate and maintenance).

Solar panels and shingles not only pay for themselves over time by allowing you to sell power back to your electric company, but they add to the value of your home. According to a recent study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 72,000 California homeowners who added solar panels to their roofs saw their home values rise by an average of $17,000 when they put their homes on the market. Consequently, you may be able to roll the cost of installation over into your mortgage.

Caution

Unless you are a roofing contractor yourself or have equivalent experience, don’t try to install your own roof. Find a contractor who is experienced in the kind of roof that you plan to put in place. If you are adding solar panels or solar shingles, you will also need an electrician. Be aware, as well, that if you are replacing a roof that was originally installed between 1940 and 1975, you may need to hire someone to do asbestos remediation. Finally, don’t forget to check your local building codes (or better yet, work with a contractor who is intimately familiar with them). Be sure, as well, to check with your homeowner’s insurance company to find out if the change in roofing materials will affect your insurance premiums.

Do your homework and use common sense. If you can find a contractor and a roofing system that you are happy with, chances are that you will be very pleased with the results.

About the Author

Herbert Norton is a roofing contractor that started a website on roofing in the winter months to help educate his clients. Roofery.com has extensive information on many different types of roofing shingles, such as slate, tile, solar and metal shingles, to help consumers make an educated decision. Recently Herbert has been researching the “greening” of asphalt shingles, which are not normally eco-friendly.

We’ve all heard the benefits of solar power: reduced energy bills (some states and provinces even allow you to generate power and sell it back to the grid or offer grants to homeowners), less demand on already stressed city power grids, it’s a form of renewable energy. Solar power seems so, well, perfect—if only I knew it were right for my house. Then I’d get on it right away. I would, really!

Well, this let’s-put-it-off excuse is no longer valid thanks to website Roofray. Using Google satellite data and information provided by the National Renewable Energy Labs, Roofray allows you to determine what type of solar-based system is optimal for your home before slapping down money on an actual system.

It’s pretty simple: enter your address and up pops a satellite image of your home’s rooftop. Next, using the Roofray tool, draw solar arrays and slope and, voilà—power per square foot and total peak power come up, in chart form, along with more metrics including projected performance, financial analysis, average monthly utility bill (after solar is added), total cost summary and—key, really—estimated time until the solar array is paid off.

Of course, these are all estimates, so take your calculations in stride. Also, don’t just try one size; play around with different-sized arrays and placement. Then, take what you’ve discovered, talk to some experts in your area and start earning cash – and helping conserve resources – thanks to that brilliant ball in the sky.

The Home Buyers’ Plan allows first time homeowners to withdraw up to $20,000 per person from their RRSP to be used as the down payment for their home. If you and your spouse, common-law partner, or other individual, are purchasing the home together, each person can withdraw up to the $20,000 maximum from his/her RRSP.

Essentially, the benefits of purchasing a house with the money in your RRSP are the tax benefits. For example: if you and your spouse both have been contributing to your RRSP, you would have received tax refunds. After contributing to your RRSP, you have decided to purchase a home. This being a first home for both of you, you are able to apply for the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP). The HBP defers the taxes on cashing in your RRSP over the next 15 years, which has a number of cost-effective advantages.

One benefit is that repayment is as low as $1,333.33 per person per year, of the maximum $20,000 per person withdrawn.
Note that you will not be able to reap the tax refund again for repayment amounts, however topping up your RRSPs with each repayment can increase your tax refund allowing you to use the money on renovating your home, like a new roof, deck or landscaping.

nrollins@homerenovationguide.com

Living with Squirrels

When spring arrives, it’s a common sight to see squirrels munching on nuts on lawns or busily transporting their booty to secret hiding places to last them the winter. With the colder weather, however, squirrels may also decide to move in with you rather than just clean the nuts off your lawn. Below we offer some information and tips on dealing with our furry little friends.

Squirrel Facts

Squirrels have been known to live up to 20 years in an urban setting and three to six years in the wild.
Squirrels breed twice a year; from late winter to early spring and then again in mid-summer to early fall.

Their gestation period lasts for 40-44 days and on average have a litter of two to five young. Mother squirrels are very protective of their young and if threatened have been known to attack people and pets.

It is not uncommon for a mother squirrel to have several nests at once; this helps with the distribution of food for their young. Nests are normally found in the crowns of trees, high above the ground to protect the young from predators.

Some natural predators are hawks, foxes, weasels, minks, raccoons, skunks, snakes, owls, ravens, domestic cats and dogs. Squirrels are active during the day and sleep at night. They do not hibernate over the winter.

The Eastern Grey Squirrel is the most common type found in Toronto. It can be identified as being black and brownish grey in colour. It has a long tail that provides the squirrel with exceptional balance.

Squirrels play a big role in tree propagation. They carry and bury nuts under the ground. Over winter they tunnel through the snow to retrieve their buried nuts. About 10-20% of buried nuts are lost under the ground. It is these lost nuts that will grow into the trees that beautify our natural landscape.A squirrel’s natural habitat is in hardwood or mixed forests where nuts (their food source) are found in abundance. They have adapted very well to city life due to the invention of bird feeders. Since we know that squirrels are naturally attracted to bird feeders, eliminating this food source should encourage the animals to move on.

A TV antenna tower provides an easy access to the attic. To prevent the habituation of squirrels, a metal shield should be installed over the direct access to the attic.

Any open vents or holes in a chimney or house roof should be repaired with an half inch mesh hardware cloth or sheet metal that exceeds at least 6 inches beyond the hole. Check the area for loose roof vents, rotten or loose soffits, loose shingles and have them repaired immediately. If not, you are inviting some unwanted guests!

Overhanging tree limbs should also be trimmed back. Squirrels are great climbers who can scale a brick wall with great ease. They have been known to nest on apartment balconies that are 20 storeys above the ground. If you see a squirrel on your balcony, check again in 24 hours. If it is still there, look at our checklist of preventive wildlife measures for humane methods to encourage the squirrel to leave.

Trapped in a chimney

If your chimney has holes or open vents, it is quite common for a squirrel to move in. Preventing these animals from moving in should be your priority. The following suggestions will assist you in removing squirrels and will discourage them from re-entering.

Trapped in a Damper

If the squirrel is above the damper, you can hang a half-inch thick rope down the chimney. The squirrel will usually climb the rope and leave the chimney.

Cover the stove or fireplace door with a barrier to keep the squirrel from escaping into your home until you are ready. Open the damper to give the animal access into the stove or fireplace. Close the damper once the squirrel has moved into the stove or fireplace to avoid it from trying to re-enter.

Prepare your home. The idea is to create an easy and attractive escape route for the squirrel. If possible, close off the room that the fireplace is in (i.e. close the doors to other rooms or hanging a sheet in open doorways to act as a barrier).

Remove all valuable or breakable items from the room. These could be knocked over or broken.
Turn off all lights in the room and draw any blinds that may provide light but not an escape route.

Open all windows and doors to provide an escape route for the squirrel. Arm yourself with thick gloves and a thick towel or blanket. Open the fireplace door slowly so you don’t scare the animal. Sit back and if all goes as planned the squirrel should run toward the light coming from open windows or doors and escape.

If the animal takes a wrong turn and ends up running around the room, don’t panic! Try following it and directing it to the outdoors or capture it with a blanket if possible and quickly carry it outside in the blanket.

Note, it is better not to catch the squirrel in a net. The squirrel may get tangled in netting. Never grab a squirrel, even if you have gloves on. Squirrels can bite through any glove. Never corner a squirrel, it may become aggressive. Never light a fire while a squirrel is trapped in a stove or fireplace, you may injure or kill the animal leaving you with a smelly dead animal to remove.

Living in the attic

Having open holes and unsecured closures to an attic is an invitation for many wildlife species including squirrels. By following these easy tips you will become equipped with a knowledge and understanding of ways to prevent (as well as humanely remove) squirrels from entering your attic.

Choosing the Right Home Inspector is Crucial

Having a home inspected prior to its purchase has become the norm over the past ten years. Real estate agents advise vendors to have the home inspected before they list it, and purchasers to get one done and have it as a condition of purchase when buying. But all home inspectors are not created equally, and it’s imperative for the person shopping for one to do their homework.

A home inspector typically charge from $200 – $500 and usually take about 3 hours for the average home. Make sure that they have some experience in residential homes, especially ones in the area that you looking to purchase or sell.

When I purchased my first home (15 years ago), I was referred to a home inspector by my real estate agent and used them prior to my purchase. He did a fair job, pointed out several areas that needed improvement, such as the roof and electrical. However, there was some things that he did not pick up on because the factors were not visible.

When I took possession of my home, I started renovating right away, basically replacing run-down existing areas. When I tore the carpet off the stairs, I was startled to see 3 of the stairs fall away straight down to the basement. The stairs were in such bad state that I had to replace them, costing me $3000. Also, after ripping down some walls, we found asbestos paper wrapped around the old duct work of the house.

Expect the unexpected and above all, go along during the entire inspection and ask questions – it’s your home! Make sure that they give you a detailed list at the end of the inspection outlining what they found, what was not found and recommendations for repairs. For more information check out Pillar To Post, a professional home inspection company.
Chris Paulsen cpaulsen@homerenovationguide.com

A waterproof system will protect your home from cracks caused by water, settling and expansion/shrinkage in the summer and winter. Over 40% of new homes have water problems within the first three years after construction. By law, builders only have to provide a two-year warranty, so be sure to check the fine print of your purchasing agreement.

Water damage only gets worse the longer that you leave it. Water leaks will penetrate your foundation, slip into cracks and slowly break them down — something people often forget is that concrete is porous. Although it is expensive to repair, the value of your house will drop a lot farther in price if there is water damage. Another factor that water damage brings is mold, which can create possible health hazards for you and your family.

Any new residential construction can be waterproofed the right way because the foundation is exposed. The most cost-effective way is to spray a rubberized coating onto the exterior walls. This fills in all the areas of the walls and acts as a membrane, keeping water out. It can be done by the ‘do it yourselfer‘, but you need to do your homework and seek some expert advice beforehand. Other products include cementitious and sheet membranes, hot tar or bentonite. Make sure you get several quotes and recommendations in regards to the leakage.

One of the biggest problems found to when roofs leak, and walls and basements overflow is the fact the people neglect their gutters. Leafs, dirt and small branches clog up eaves troughs and downspouts, which prevents water from flowing through them. This build-up tends to overflow, often damaging a person’s home.

Here are some simple instructions on how to clean your own gutters;

1. Use a ladder to access the gutters, and make sure you have another person to keep the ladder in place and spot you. Bring along an empty bucket with rope tied to it, so you can dispose of the debris in the gutter safely, rather then dropping it all to the ground and having to do a second clean up. You can use the rope to lower the bucket down to your partner, who can empty it when it’s full and you can safely pull it back up. Also, do not rest the ladder up against any gutters as they will bend and cause damage to them.

2. Use a small gardening shovel to scoop the debris into your bucket. You might also want to bring along your garden hose to spray out small dirt.

3. Using the garden hose, spray the opening portions of your down spouts to ensure that they are clear and clean. You can also use a Shop-Vac at the bottom to help suck out any loose debris.

Using a mesh cover over your gutters will help block out 90% of falling leafs and twigs, and also allows a clean rain flow off of your roof. This is especially important in the winter, as the gunk in your eaves troughs will block water, which will freeze and weigh down your gutters, causing considerable damage.

The debris from your gutters also makes excellent compost, so use it to your advantage, rather then tossing it in a garbage bag and putting it on the curb.